So, you’ve tried running and you liked it, but you just found it a little… boring? The gym is great and you’re feeling strong, but it’s a little…repetitive? It’s time to test your speed and strength in the combined super-sport that is OCR! Here are our top 5 reasons to love Obstacle Course Racing:
1. Get out of the gym and into nature
Like trail runs and triathlons, obstacle races give participants the chance to run and compete in parkland, dense woods and hilly terrain. The special thing about True Grit courses is that no two events are the same, with each state we travel to, we love to look at the scenery and think “hmm, how can we incorporate this into our course?”. Which brings you brilliant obstacles like The Muddy Mile in NSW and Heartbreak Hill in SA. We’re so lucky to be able to host events in NSW, SA, VIC, QLD and WA, because it gives us access to some of the most beautiful terrain to build our courses on! OCR is the perfect way to test the strength you’ve cultivated at the gym in functional situations. You’d be amazed at what you’re able to achieve.
2. Those crossover benefits
True Grit events will always involve hill running, load carries and climbing. To overcome every one of these challenges, participants need to be in pretty good shape (don’t worry if you’re not, you can always skip ones you’re not comfortable with). The training required for this kind of event is going to improve both cardiovascular endurance and body strength (upper and lower). The benefit of this will always crossover to other sports like running, swimming and cycling. It’s also pretty damn epic to notice your overall performance drastically improving when you train for an OCR.
3. The community
The only timed and competitive wave is our Elite Wave at 0830. The Elites are in it to win it, but every other wave afterwards is about fun, fitness and having a crack (you don’t even have to run the course if you don’t want to, walking is completely fine)! First and foremost, True Grit events are about community and camaraderie. While you’re literally in the trenches together, you’ll have the chance to meet like-minded people and make lots of new friends. Whether you’re tackling the 10km or 5km event, you’ll cross the finish-line feeling like you’ve just made an entirely new friendship group!
4. It focuses your training
We love working out at the gym and going for runs, but it can soon become complacent if you don’t set goals. You can very easily skate through sessions in auto-pilot without ever really improving. When you sign up to an OCR event, you’ve gained a clear focus during your training – and a reason to go the extra mile or finish that last set! Trust us, when you’re halfway up a rope-climb and feeling like you want to quit, you’ll thank yourself for those extra reps at the gym.
5. Most importantly: It’s FUN!
Whether you’re an Elite Athlete, a trail runner, a gym-goer, or a complete layman, True Grit offers something for everyone. We combine a bit of trail running and a variety of man-made and natural obstacles. You’ll face a lot of challenges, from climbing up and over obstacles, wading through muddy water, and carrying sandbags. It’s like a trail run turned up to 11, but we like to see it as a giant playground for people who never stopped learning how to have fun!
Now that you’re officially obsessed with OCR, what are you waiting for? Our 2024 events are here for the taking:
NSW: HAWKESBURY, MARCH 2+3
SA: RIVERLANDS, APRIL 20+21
VIC: GIPPSLAND, JUNE 15+16
QLD DATES ANNOUNCED SOON
WA DATES ANNOUNCED SOON